Knowledge, perceptions and practices of lifestyle-modification measures among adult hypertensives in Nigeria

Abstract

Hypertension remains the most rapidly rising cardiovascular disease in Africa. This study was designed to evaluate the perception, knowledge and practices of Nigerian hypertensive patients regarding hypertension and lifestyle modification measures. Consecutive hypertensive patients attending the cardiac clinics of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, were recruited. A pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Questions were categorised to elicit patients' demographic characteristics, knowledge, perception and practice of various lifestyle-modification measures. chi(2) tests were performed. More than half (54.2%) of the 260 respondents had no formal, or just primary, education. About 25% were no longer taking their antihypertensive medication. Fifty per cent of the patients thought that hypertension was caused by stress. Most knew about the lifestyle measures through health personnel. More than 50% adopted the lifestyle-modification measures once they became aware of their effects. This study has shown a poor level of perception of hypertension and awareness of the lifestyle-modification measures through the mass media, but a high level of willingness to adopt the lifestyle measures. Concerted strategies are required to change the perception of hypertension and increase the awareness of the lifestyle-modification measures in this part of the world.

Perception and practice of lifestyle modification in the management of hypertension among hypertensives in south-east Nigeria

“…Among those who are aware, less than 15% adhere to intake of food rich in vegetables and low in dairy products. This is in contrast to findings from a hospital-based study in Enugu, Nigeria [20] and Turkey [22] where more than 50% of the participants adopted healthy lifestyle (and hence dietary) measures once they were aware of it. The differences in study site compared to our study (hospital versus community) could account for such differences.…”

“…More concerning was the fact that among those who were aware of effect of regular exercise in BP control, only 8.6% of them practiced it. This result is quite lower than findings in a study in Enugu Nigeria [20] where 73% of the hypertensives started or added exercise to their schedule once they were aware of its implications on their hypertensive condition. Participants in our study with tertiary education (18%) were less when compared with those in the latter study (31.5%).…”

“…The highest proportion of patients with knowledge of, at least, one lifestyle measure in a hospital-based study in Enugu, Nigeria [20] was 33%. The sample size in this study was extrapolated from this value with a 5% margin of error.…”

Awareness and Knowledge on Hypertension and its Self- Care Practices Among Hypertensive Patients in Saudi Arabia

“…[21][22][23] However, patient's awareness of dietary habit and stress as risk factors of hypertension was better in other studies done in Pakistan and Nigeria than in our study. [24,25] Awareness of participants about hypertension complications in the present study was better than that observed in other studies. More than 70% of our sample population was aware of hypertension complications while it was only 65% in a study done is USA and 6% in a study done in Pakistan.…”

Knowledge, attitude to hypertension and lifestyle habits of rural dwellers in Owerre-Nkwoji, Imo State Nigeria

“…Awareness of participants on hypertension issues was 44% as against the 50% in the study by Ike et al (2010). Misconception was also apparent in this study as in theirs.…”